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Transpired he could survive losing against Grimsby. Survive an important continental showpiece against a particularly poor Tottenham teams in living memory. He withstood home defeats to domestic rivals, a lowly league position, an unwavering system, laying waste to the team's best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. But there was one adversary against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to dance. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, similar to numerous Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning 1994-95 season, Amorim took on the executive and seems to have missed. Even the most casual observer can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who frequently berated at his players for failing in one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most feared sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole painful saga seems to paint the director in a whole new light. It may have been easy, given his brief stint of experience at Southampton, to view Jason Wilcox as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outsmarting United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated as one of football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind of which United’s competitors are now rightly wary.

The Tactical Clash Over System and Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Naturally, these pleas faced pushback. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his thought processes to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause in place. The director seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – function at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not the same as being ready to comprehend it.

The Ultimate Power Behind the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, the owner has also proposed deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace analytics and analytics. Per reports, during a leadership summit soon after his minority ownership, he declared that the team's approach of play “shall be determined by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are superior: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Whom else could one trust to oversee a strategic plan of austerity, the construction of a new stadium that appears a lot like an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Soccer Hierarchy: Executives Above Managers

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly entrusted major sporting choices to low-level employees like managers, scouts – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to go into an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have such individuals established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to decide the strategy by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their methods accordingly. If coaches were once chefs, they are now more like Deliveroo drivers: not really responsible for the product, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, their job is increasingly not about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively gets sacked for talking. A manager at Celtic finds his standing damaged whereas those individuals who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

The Modern Corporate Football: Accountability Only for the Few

And perhaps in a small way this represents neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a privileged overclass who can never be wrong, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and later bin them for taking excessive time. And above all show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.